Rythu Bandhu scheme comes as a boon for small farmers

Telangana government’s Rythu Bandhu scheme has turned beneficial for the farming community in the state. 

Nearly 51,76,874 of the total 57,24,115 land-owning farmers have less than five acres of land and take up cultivation themselves. Farmers with land holdings of up to 2.5 acres are considered marginal farmers and those with 2.5-5 acres are recognised as small farmers.

The scheme has benefitted the marginal and small land-owning farmers as Rs 3,823.39 crore of the Rs 5,618.5 crore allocated will go to them indicating 70 percent of the entire allocation. The Rythu Bandhu scheme would cater much-needed relief in terms of crop investment to 51,76,874 farmers which is 90 percent in the state.

Medium (5-10 acres) and large scale (more than 10 acres) farmers with each holding land more than five acres cater to only about 10 percent of the total 57,24,115 landholders.

Under the government’s initiative, about 5.46 lakh land-owning farmers with more than five acres area each will receive nearly Rs 1,795 crore.

The officials stated that the scheme is aimed at achieving long-term benefits for farmers adding that the land-owning farmers can pass on the benefits to their tenants only voluntarily.